In April of last year, the Department of Justice shut down the three largest online poker sites in the U.S., leaving players—many of whom considered online poker their part-time of full-time jobs—and their earnings stuck in limbo. What happened to their money?

Does gambling revenue do much to help states balance their budget? According to the City Journal, the answer is no for a variety of reasons—including the idea that people who spend $5 on lottery tickets are just spending $5 less on other things, like groceries.